Signal system



v K N\ M ooom 080 Sept. 4, 1945. c. SMITH 2,384,352

SIGNAL SYSTEM FiledOct. 12, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 v mh om oo 0 0 OQQ 000 Sept. 4,1945. c. SMITH" I A 38 SIGNAL SYSTEM Filed Oct. 12, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 fF/5z4. 6 j v I 69' Sept. 4, 1945. 6, SMITH Y 2,384,352

' SIGNAL SYSTEM Filed Oct. 12, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 4, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGNAL SYSTEM Clyde Smith, Hopkinsville, Ky.

Application October 12, 1942, Serial No. 461,667 v 6 Claims. (01. 177-353) This invention pertains to signal systems in which lamps are positioned to form a display field and individual lamps inthe field are lighted in steady glow and others in flashing glow for conveying information.

Objects of the invention are to provide a lamp fleld, to provide means for selecting lamps one by one, to provide means for illumination of selected lamps in steady glow, to provide further means for connecting one only selected lamp in a circuit for flashing glow, and to provide means for operating a number of groups of glowing lamps through control of a smaller number of operator keyboards.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for flashing a latest selected lamp to convey knowledge of progress of consecutive selections thus showing direction of flight planes. Thus progress of an enemy flight of planes may be anticipated and warning of air raid may be given in advance of arrival of the enemy flight to the air defense command headquarters for defensive action and for orders to air raid warning posts.

A further object of this invention is to provide an operator keyboard and associated apparatus such that an operator may select a flight indicator device, may control the indicator device to display information of the planes composing the flight and may control the indicator device further to display a number identifying the location of the flight in the lamp field.

These objects are attained in a structure to register progress of flights of airplanes over a terrain, by providing a lamp field representing the terrain and identifying each lamp by thousands, hundreds, tens and units, by providing a pair of flight indicators for each flight and by providing a keyboard which will select flight indicators, will set up and maintain a display of information on the indicators, will select fleld lamp after field lamp, will connect the last selected fleld lamp to a commutator and will connect previously selected field lamps to a uniform current source for steady glow.

The invention will be more fully understood by the following description and by the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a portion of a lamp-field map, with flight indicators and keyboards,

Fig. 2 shows circuits and assembly of an operating system,

Fig. 3 shows a set of register relays,

Fig. 4 shows a. further set of register relays,

Fig. 5 shows a relay selector.

Fig. 6 shows a manual contactor.

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic partial front view of an indicating device; and

Fig. 8 shows the indicator of Fig. '7 diagrammatically in section along lines 8-8 in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 1 there is illustrated a lamp field 10 10,000 lamps of which a plurality of lamps in each of the flrst four thousands are shown. There are indicated also two pairs of flight .indicators l4 and 15 which may be of a preferred design of carriage call type responsive to control by relays in the registers l6 and H. A suit-' able display device or indicator is disclosed in my co-pending application Ser. No. 339,113, filed June 6, 1940, and also in my PatentNo. 1,978,094,

issued October 23, 1934. The diagrams Figs. '7

in back of each section is a. column of lenses 203 and lamps 204 individual thereto. The lamps and lenses of each column are adapted to project upon the ground glass screen associated with the column images of numerals or letters, as desired.

A complete first keyboard ll is illustrated in,

Fig. 2 and a second keyboard l2-is indicated.

The keyboard H comprises three sets of keys. Key set I3 comprises 26 keys H. to 13 inclusive,

numbered .from No. 1 to No. 26, all mutually looking so that operation of any one key unlocks for spring restoration all others of the 26 keys. A

further key "has two positions, and remainsin either position until changed by hand of the operator. This key is used inextinguishing lamps in the lamp field l0. Key set l8 comprises four strips 15, I6, 11, 18' of ten keys in each strip, numbered from 0 to 9, from .00 to 90, from 000 to 900 and from 0000'to 9000. In each strip the keys are mutually looking so. that operation of any one keyunlocks all others of the ten keys of that strip. Key set 18 is for controlling the, selec- .tion of lampsin lamp field 10. A wholly mechan ical key 1.9 releases all, keys or the. fourstrips.

Key set l9 comprises four strips 80,81, 82, 83' of non-locking keys, numbered or lettered as desired, and is used for setting theflight indicators suchasMAandlSA. r

A rotary selector. 20 has a brush 2| engaging a circular-level of bank contacts and a further brush 22 engaging a further level of 'bank con tacts. The brushes 21. 22 are driven in stepping,

manner by armature23 of magnet 24 energized by current through an obvious circuit. p Brush 2! is connected through winding of a relay25 to battery. Brush 22 is connected through normally closed contact of sloW-to-releaserelay 29 in ng of re y 2,9, andcontacts of n rmally energized relay .25 are included in the circuit 01' magnet 24. The first and second bank Ten keys in key strip are connected through ten wires of cable 85 to ten contacts of gang relay 21 where while the relay 21 is in operated position they are connected through ten wires in cables 86 and 8! to operating windings of the thousands register relays 3| of which there are ten, Fig. 4. Ten keys in key strip 16 are connected through ten wires of cable 85, through relay 2'! while operated and through ten wires in cables 86 and 88 and to the ten operating windings of the ten hundreds register relays 32. Ten keys in key strip H are connected through the wires of cable 85, through relay 21 while operated and through ten wires in cables 85 and 89 to the ten operating windings of the ten tens register relays 33. Ten keys in key strip 18 are connected through ten wires of cable 85, through relay 2'! while operated and through ten wires in cables 86 and 90 to the ten operating windings of the ten units register relays 34.

The thousands relays 3| are provided with a holding circuit control relay 35, which has its winding in series with all of the operating windings of the. slow-to-release register relays 3|, which is energized when current flows through any operating windin of relays 3| thereby opening all holding circuits of relays 3| and which retires its armature before retirement of the armature of any operated relay 3| thereby closing the holding circuit of the operated register relay. Relays 32, 33, 34 are similarly provided with holding circuit control relays.

In like manner and through similar circuits, key strips 80, 8|, 82, 83 control circuits through cable 85, contacts of gang relay 21 and cables 86, 9.1,. 92, 93, 94 to operate relays 36, 31, 38, 39, Fig. 3,. ally of which are provided with holding circuit control relays similar to 35, Fig. 4. Contacts of relay 35 and other holding circuit control relays in Fig. 4 are connected through contacts of relay 4| to ground. Winding of relay 4| is connected to wire 42 in cable 86. Contacts ofsimilar control relays in Fig. 3 are connected through contacts of relay 43 to ground. Winding of relay 43v is connected to wire 44 in cable 85. Wires 42 and 44 pass through cable 85 and nected to the windings of ten tens selector relays E8 of which there are one thousand for selecting 10,000 lamps. Contacts of units register relays 34 are'connected' through cables 99, I00, I94 and inmultipled connection .to contacts of'all tens selector relays 48 where while any tens selector relay 48 is in operated position they are further connected to the windings of ten field lamp relays as |||2, |||3" of which there may be ten thousand. Tens selector relays 48 are provided with further contacts. A grounded commutator 68 or B9 is connected through contacts of relay 6'! and wire H0 in cable I00 to said further contacts where while any tens selector relay 48 is in operated position the commutator is further connected to lamp contacts in ten field lamp relays as |||2'.

Wires in cables 96, 91, 98, 99, Fig. 4, are connected respectively to wires in a cable I05 which extends to a flight indicator MBand displays upon that indicator the lamp number of the lamp last selected by the relay selector. Circuits, ap-

: paratus and operation of this indicator may be similar to those shown in my copending application, Serial No. 339,113, or similar to those shown in my previously noted patent. Operation of any relay 36, 31, 38, 39, Fig. 3, will close a circuit through cable '|0 to display a desired character in a connected indicator as |4A.

Orders for operating the system are telephoned from an information center to operators at keyboards as H, 2, each of which through a selector as 20 has access to all registers as l6, I1.

Operation of the system illustrated. is as follows: v

The first order received may be assumed to be to operator of keyboard 11, Flight 1, 1112, AB42. To execute this order, operator depresses locking key No. 1 in the set 1|, 13 which coming relay 25 normally energized. The depressed unite upon one contact in relay 2! whence the i circuit is extended through relay 2'! contacts and wire- 45 in cable 85 to non-locking key 95 to ground.

A relay selector comprises 1.110 relays 46, 41,

8 all of which are controlled by an associated relay register I6. Contacts of thousands register relays 3| are connected through cables 93. I05, |D| to windings of the thousands selector relays 45 of which there are ten.v Contacts of hundreds register relays 37. are connected through cables 91. I00, ")2 and in. multipled con nection to contacts of all thousands selector relays 46 where while any relay 45 is in operated osition they are further connected to the windings of ten selected hundreds selector relays 41 of which there are one hundred for selecting 0,000 lamps. Contacts of tens register. relays 33 are connected through .cables 98,. I00, I83 and in multipled connection tov contacts of all hundreds selector relays 4'! where while any relay 41 is in operated position they are further conkey No. 1 now grounds the wire 5| and by release of key No. 26 removes ground from wire 5n. Relay 25 is deenergized, its contact closes the circuit of magnet 24 and relay 29, also of pilot lamp I56. Relay 29 removes ground from brush 22. Magnet 24 attracts its armature 23. breaks its energizing vcircuit and releases its armatu e which by power of spring 53 drives the brushes 2| and 22 one step. Brush 2| thus closes an energizing circuit for relay 25 through wire 5| and operated key No. 1 of key set 1|, l3, and relay 25 opens the circuits of lamp I56 and magnet 24. preventing further operation of the armature 23. Relay 29 now releasesits armature and closes an obvious circuit to energize relay 21 which connects keyboard H to register I6, Using keys in order from left to right, the operator depresses locking keys 1112 in key set l8 and non-lockingkeys Al32 in key set l9.

Key 1000 in key strip energizes relays 35 and 54, Fig. 4, over a circuit through cables 85, 86, 81. Key 100 in key strip 16 energizes relays 55 and 55 over a similar circuit through cable 88. Key 10 energizes relays 5.1 and 58 over a similar circuit through cable 89. Key 2 energizes relays 59 and 6!! over a similar circuit through cable 90. Operation of a non-locking key in key strip 88 closes a circuit through, cables 85, 85, 9| to energize any relay 36 an also relay 8| which opens all holding circuits of all relays 36. Upon release of the non-locking key in key strip and cessation of energizing current, the quick relay 6| releases its armature and closes a holding circuit for the operated relay 36 before the slowto-release relay 36 can release its armature thus retaining the armature of the relay 36 and thus holding closed a circuit through contacts of relays 43, 6|, 36 and cables I06 and IIB to the flight indicator I4A, Fig. 2. In like manner, keys in key strips BI, 82, 83 energize relays 31, 38, 39 to close circuits to the flight indicator I4A.

Relay 54 in operated position closes a circuit through contacts of relays M, 35, 54, and cables 96, I00, IM to energize relay 62, Fig. 5. Relay 56 closes a circuit through contacts of relays 4|, 55, 56, cables 91, I00, I02 and contacts of operated relay 62 to energize relay 63. Relay 58 closes a circuit through contacts of relays 4 I, 51, 58, cables 98, I00,-I03 and contacts of relay 63 to energize relay 64. Relay 60 closes a circuit through contacts of relays M, 59, 60, cables 99, I00, I04, contacts in relay 64 and a wire I! in cable I08 to the winding of field lamp relay III2. Relay III2. operates one armature to close its holding circuit through resistance 65 and the other armature to close an illuminating circuit through resistance 66 for the field lamp I I I2.

Relay 64 closes also a shunting circuit fOr the lamp I I I2 from the lamp through contacts of relay III2, wire I09 in cable I08, contacts of relay 64, wire H0 in cable I00, resistance I2, Fig. 4, contacts of relay 6! and enemy code interrupter 68 to ground, thus causing the latest selected lamp IIIZ to flash the enemy code indicating that the registered flight is an enemy flight. Were the flight a defense flight, the order to the operator would have included the word defense and the operator would have operated momentarily the non-locking key I50 thus connecting to ground a circuit over wire IIZ, cable 85, contacts of relay 2], cable 86, wire II3, Fig. 4 and operating winding of holding relay 61 to battery. Relay 6I closes its holding circuit through contacts of relay M and operates an armature contact to remove conductor I II] from the enemy code commutator 68 and to connect the conductor H0 to the defense code commutator 69, thus flashing the latest selected lamp in defense code to indicate that the flight is a flight of defense planes.

The operator sits in a position for viewing the flight indicator and thereby checks upon the flight indicator the accuracy of the keyboard setting. The operator then operates the mechanical key I9 and the No. 26 key of the key set II, I3. The key I9 restores all keys in key set I8, thus terminating the operating current in relays 35, 55, 51, 59, Fig. 4, as well as in the operated ones of relays 3|, 32, 33, 34. Armatures of the quick relays 35, 55, 51, 59 operate quickly and close holding circuits through. contacts of relay M for the operated ones of relays 3|, 32, 33, 34. Key No. 26 of the key set II, I3 grounds the Wire 50 and releases key No. 1 to remove ground from wire No. 51. Relay 25 thus is deenergized and magnet 24 operates to drive the rotary brushes to normal.

Selection of additional lamps each adjacent a prior selected lamp produces a line of lamps. The selector II Fig. 2, detailed in Fig. 5, remains in its position of latest adjustment for selection and maintains closed the shunting circuit of the latest selected lamp over wires I09, IIO thus flashing the latest selected lamp. When adjustment of the selector I5I is changed to select another lamp this circuit is broken for the prior lamp which then glows steadily over the circuit of resistance 66. V

When any line of illuminated lamps becomes undesirably long, an operator may put out the earlier selected lamps by using a selector of another flight indicator, operating the manual looking key I4 to engage its battery contact and then selecting one by one the lamps to be darkened.

As each lighted lamp with energized field lamp' relay as III2' is selected the key I4 forms a shunting circuit for the energized relay extending from battery through contacts of key I4, wire I52, cable 85, contacts of relay 2?, cable 86, wire I53, Fig. 4, contacts of operated register relay 60, cables 99, I00, I04, contacts of operated selector relay 64, cable I08, and wire I0! to a terminal of relay II I2, thus short-circuiting the winding of the relay III2' which releases its armature and extinguishes the lamp I I I2. Succeeding lamps in the line are selected and extinguished by operating only the units or ten keys of the key set I8.

When record of a flight is to be discontinued, the order to the operator is Discontinue flight 1. The operator selects the flight 1 selector by use of the rotary selector 20, extinguishes the lamps one by one by use of the key I4, then operates the key which energizes relays 4| and 43, which relays in turn interrupt all holding circuits of all register relays. The operator then operates key No. 26 of key set II, I3.

Further means is provided for extinguishing lamps. Each lamp field relay as I I I2 is provided with a contact plate, I54, manually accessible near the corresponding lamp in the lamp field and connected to one terminal of the relay winding. A manual contactor I55, Fig. 6 when manually engaged with the contact plate I 54 shortcircuits the relay winding'and releases the armatures to extinguish the associated lamp.

Subsidiary lamp fleld map boards may be provided to represent the lamp field I0, Fig. 1, either in whole or in portions. For control of such subsidiary display boards at short distance from the primary board I0. field lamps may be connected in parallel with the field lamps of the field II! over branching wires as illustrated by wire II4 connected to lampI II2, Fig. 5, and additional flight indicators may be connected in parallel with the flight indicators I4 and others of Figs. 1 and 2 by branching wires as illustrated by branching cables H5, H6, Fig. 2.

When the subsidiary lamp field board is at a greater distance and a smaller number of wires is desirable, there may be provided branching cables as illustrated by cables Ill and H8, Fig. 2, connected to the keyboard cables 84 and 85, there being provided at the subsidiary lamp field board a complement of rotary selectors such as 20, registers such as I6, II, relay selectors such as I5I and flight indicators such as I4, but no keyboards.

The system herein illustrated is capable of modification without departing from the fundamental features of the invention as claimed. Wh'at is claimed is:

1. In a signaling system, a number of signaling lamps, selective means for selecting and-illuminating one of said lamps, two commutators having circuits controlledaccording to different signals of a code, a relay, a controlling circuit for for said selected lamp including contacts of said relay and including he only of said two commutators when said relay is in operated position and the other of said commutators when said relay is in normal position, a keyboard for controlling said selective means, controlling means in-said keyboard for energizing said relay, a holding circuit in said selective means for holding said relay energized, and controlling means in saidkeyboard for interrupting said holding circuit.

2. In a signaling system, a plurality of lamps, means for selecting and illuminating one of saidlamps, a shunt circuit connected around said selected lamp, an enemy code signal commutator connected in said shunt for flashing enemy code signals on said lamp, a fdefenself code signal commutator, andmeans for substituting aid defense code signal commutator for said enemy code signal commutator in said shunt circuit.

3. In a signaling system, a plurality of lamps, selective means for selecting one of said lamps and for subsequently abandoning said lamp, means associated with said selected lamp. and responsive to said selective means for initiating illumination of said lamp, meansin said selector for flashing said lamp in enemy code signal and in defense code signal and efiective while said selective means is connected to said lamp, and means associated with said lamp for maintaining said lamp in continuous. illumination after said selective means has abandoned said lamp.

4. In a signalling system, a display board representing a section of terrain, a plurality of lamps on said board sufliciently distributed over the whole area of the board so that any course on said terrain can be indicated by lighting a plurality of lamps on the corresponding line on said board, operator's control apparatus, selecting apparatus adapted to be operated and released a plurality of times to successively select a plurality of said lamps to indicate a course on said terrain, and means for lighting selected lamps including means for flashing any selected lamp upon selection thereof by said selecting apparatus and any selected lamp to continuous illumination upon the release of said selecting apparatus prepara tory to selecting another lamp.

5. In a signalling system, a display board representing a section of terrain, a plurality of lamps on said board uniformly spaced in coordinate directions, a plurality of flight indicators associated with said display board, operators control apparatus, means operated by said control apparatus to cause said flight indicators to display flight information concerning a plurality of flights of planes, means operated by said control apparatu for selecting and illuminating a plurality of series of lamps on said display board to indicate the courses of said flights of planes across said terrain, and means for indicating in the case of each 'fligh't indicator the particular course to which the flight information displayed by uch indicator appertains.

6 In a signalling system, a display board representing a section of terrain, a plurality of lamps on said board uniformly spaced in coordinate directions, operators control apparatus, a first selecting means operated by said control apparatus to-"select and illuminate a series of lamps to display the course of a flight of planes flying across said terrain, a second selecting means operated by said control apparatus to select and illuminate a s'eriesof lamps to display the course of a second flight of planes flying across said terrain, flightindicators individual to said two selecting means, respectively, and operated by said control apparatus to indicate fiight information, and means included in each said flight indicator to associate the flight information indicated thereon with the corresponding flight displayed on'said board.

CLYDE SMITH. 

